What up, folks! As you can see – I’ve changed my mind about my previous mixes (I do this often – it’s a Libra thing, LOL). I originally planned to delete them (and I have deleted some), but decided to leave most of them up (since they are still being downloaded and streamed!), so continue to enjoy and download them at your leisure!

Now back to the present – here’s another installment of the all new Zodiac Thump – Episode 2! We start this one off with a remix from Brooklyn’s own DJ/Producer/Remixer Mikki Afflick (Soul Sun Soul, Afro Sun). Nina Simone once said, “You can’t help it. An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” – and Mikki does just that with her remix of Groove Junkies’ “We Rise” with Opolopo and vocalist Solara! As usual, links for this and most material used will be made readily available in the playlist (just click on the titles!). We’ve got new music from Deep Sole Syndicate, DJ Romain, Toshi, and others…BUT – there’s one thing…

RANT: There are many MANY producers out here taking classic tracks, re-editing them, and selling them as original works (such tracks are marked with an asterik *). These tracks have gone way beyond sampling to the point where said track would cease to exist absent the original track used. My solution?

Well, as you will see in the playlist, I’ve taken the liberty of renaming such tracks to their ORIGINAL artist names and crediting the remixer/editor in parenthesis. Think that’s disrespectful? Not nearly as disrespectful as taking someone else’s music, looping it, adding bells and whistles, then passing it off as your own. Honestly, the sampling part isn’t even what eats away at me – it’s how “producers” are literally passing whole songs off as their own after adding a 4/4 kick and a hi-hat. I mean, really – some cases are so blatant, that when I would Shazam them, the ORIGINAL song would come up!

Now some of these edits (because that’s really what they are) are actually pretty good, so I’ve included them in the mix, but there will be TWO links next to them – a link to the remixer/editors version and a link to the ORIGINAL VERSION or inspiration. This is done for two VERY important reasons:

a.) To educate those who may not be old enough to remember the importance and significance of these original recordings and

b.) To give proper credit (even if not monetary) to the original artists, who – in most of these cases – did the hard work with actual instruments and without the help of a modern DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, ie; Cubase, Ableton, Logic, etc.) and are hardly ever being credited for their work.

In cases where it is unclear whether original music has been used but the sound is similar enough to the original (Robin Thicke anyone??), the SAME thing will occur (2 links).

Don’t like it? FIGHT ME.

PLEASE NOTE: To avoid confusion, remixer/editor will be credited correctly on public sites such as MixCloud, Podomatic, etc. (END RANT)

I am LibraClassic! – the OFFICIAL curator for the Zodiac Thump vibe on the turntables as well as in the studio! If you like what you’re hearing, feel free to tip the DJ below! 😉